Former Taiwan People’s Party leader sentenced to 17 years in prison
Ko Wen-je, former mayor of Taipei and founder of the Taiwan People’s Party, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison and stripped of his civil rights for six years. This marks the first time in Taiwan's history that a major opposition figure has received a prison sentence.
Source Focustaiwan
Ko was found guilty on four charges, including accepting bribes from the chairman of the Core Pacific Group in exchange for illegally increasing the building density coefficient in a development project. Prosecutors demanded a 28.5-year sentence, but Ko maintains his innocence.
Ko served as Taipei mayor from 2014 until December 2022. In 2019, he founded the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and became its chairman. In January 2024, he ran for the position of head of Taiwan’s administration. The TPP currently holds eight seats in the legislative body.
Ko Wen-je is a 66-year-old politician with extensive experience, who made a significant impact on Taiwan’s political scene as an innovative opposition leader and party founder.
This verdict drastically alters Taiwan’s political landscape by removing one of the opposition’s most influential voices, which may affect the balance of power in the country.
Going forward, the political moves of the Taiwan People’s Party and the responses of its supporters will attract close public and expert scrutiny.
